Konnie Huq

Konnie Huq
Huq in April 2006
Native name কনক হক
Born Kanak Asha Huq
(1975-07-17) 17 July 1975
Hammersmith, London, England
Residence Ealing, London, England
Nationality British
Education Notting Hill & Ealing High School
Alma mater Robinson College, Cambridge
Occupation Television presenter
Years active 1994–present
Employer ITV, BBC, Sky
Known for Blue Peter
The Xtra Factor
Spouse(s)
Charlie Brooker (m. 2010)
Children 2
Parent(s) Mohammed Huq (father)
Roshan Ara Huq (mother)
Relatives Nutun Huq (sister)
Rupa Huq (sister)

Kanak Asha "Konnie" Huq (/ˈhʌk/; Bengali: কনক হক; born 17 July 1975) is a British television presenter and writer. She was the longest-serving female presenter of Blue Peter, having presented it from 1 December 1997 until 23 January 2008. She presented the 2010 series of The Xtra Factor on ITV2.

Early life and education

Huq was born in Hammersmith, west London to Sunni Muslim[1] Bangladeshi parents who had emigrated to England in the 1960s.[2][3] She grew up in Ealing, west London, with her two elder sisters, Rupa and Nutun. She was educated at Notting Hill & Ealing High School in London and left school with nine GCSEs and A-levels in physics, mathematics and chemistry.[4] Huq studied sciences for her A-Levels, however she chose to study economics at Robinson College, Cambridge and graduated from the University of Cambridge with a 2:1 degree.[2][5]

Early career

In 1989, at the age of 14, Huq was a guest on Blue Peter with the National Youth Music Theatre, when she sang a solo.[6] Before the 1992 general election, Huq interviewed Labour leader Neil Kinnock for the children's programme Newsround. She appeared as a contestant on Blockbusters in the same year.[7] She also appeared as an uncredited extra playing a schoolgirl in the BBC One sitcom 2point4 Children in the Series 2 episode "I'm Going Slightly Mad".[8]

Huq's presenting debut was in a GMTV Saturday morning children's quiz show entitled "Eat Your Words"[9] between 1994 and 1996. She was assisted by Mark Speight before Simon Parkin took over. In 1997, several months before joining Blue Peter, Huq presented Channel Five's early morning children's programme Milkshake!,[10] while also working as an editorial assistant for the now defunct[11] Total Sport magazine.

Blue Peter

Huq is best known for presenting the BBC children's television programme Blue Peter, which she joined on 1 December 1997.[12][13] One of her most memorable early moments on Blue Peter was visiting Bangladesh, and speaking to members of her extended family whom she had not seen for many years.[12] In the programme's 2004 "Summer Expedition" to India, Huq became an extra in the Bollywood film Musafir (2004), and practised dancing alongside its stars.[14][15] For the programme's 2004 "Welcome Home" appeal, she made an emotional visit to Angola hoping to reunite children with their families (from which both had been separated due to war).[16] In 2008, during her last programme, she broke a Guinness World Record by managing to pin 17 Blue Peter Badges onto fellow presenter Andy Akinwolere's shirt in a minute.[17]

In March 2007 she apologised to viewers after a competition on the programme was faked, saying, "We'd like to say sorry to you because when this mistake happened, we let you down."[18] She was later reported as saying that this event contributed to her decision to leave the programme.

On 31 May 2007, Huq announced that she would be leaving Blue Peter. On 22 January 2008, Huq hosted her final Blue Peter, with a clip show of her highlights through the ten years she had been on the programme.[19] She is the third longest-serving Blue Peter presenter and its longest-serving female host, having passed Valerie Singleton's record on 1 October 2007.[20]

The Xtra Factor

Huq presented the seventh series of The Xtra Factor on ITV2, replacing Holly Willoughby who was unable to fulfil the role due to her ongoing commitments at This Morning.[21]

Other work

Between 2002 and 2004, Huq co-presented the CBBC Channel's UK Top 40.[22]

In early 2003 Huq was briefly a presenter for Top of the Pops.[23][24] She presented GMTV's LK today coverage of New York Fashion Week on the week of 10 September 2007.[24] In June 2007 she was a guest panellist on the comedy gameshow 8 out of 10 Cats.[25]

In December 2007 Huq appeared on a celebrity version of Ready Steady Cook with Blue Peter co-presenter Andy Akinwolere,[26] and played a servant (also called Konnie, last name unknown) on the last episode of the second series of Robin Hood.[27] Also in 2007, she began presenting the ITV1 London show London Talking, a political debate show, alongside Vanessa Feltz and Nick Ferrari.[24]

She has also co-presented some of the weekly Your News programme for BBC News in 2008.[28] On 14 April 2008 Konnie was seen filming at Colchester Zoo for the third series of Channel Five show Zoo Days which was broadcast from June 2008.[29] Also in 2008, Huq presented The Red Bull Air Race with Dougie Anderson for Channel 4.[30]

Huq appeared with her future husband Charlie Brooker in his satirical review programme Screenwipe in December 2008 on BBC Four. Here, she hosted a mock version of a "mission documentary" entitled Konnie's Great British Wee, in which she claimed to be on a mission to combat paruresis in males.[31] Huq appeared alongside Charles Kennedy on This Week on 18 December 2008.[32] She appeared on the CBBC series M.I.High as herself in the episode "The Big Freeze" broadcast on 22 January 2007.[33][34]

She also played herself in the episode "Golden Lady" of the TV series FM in March 2009.[35]

She presented Guinness World Records Smashed with Steve Jones on Sundays at 6:00 pm on Sky1;[36] she has attempted some records herself including moonwalking and trampolining. On 15 May 2009, Huq began to present entertainment show Hannah-Oke on The Disney Channel with Duncan James.[37]

In December 2009 Huq won the Best Rising Star Screenplay Angel award at the Monaco International Film Festival for the short story Ahmed and Mildred.[38][39] In March 2014 Ahmed and Mildred was selected to receive funding from Film London.[40][41]

In February 2011 she appeared in an episode of the ITV2 documentary programme Under Pressure, where she attempted to learn how to be a rapper. Trailers for the show asked "Will Konnie Huq it up?"[42]

She co-wrote, with husband Charlie Brooker, the second episode of the Channel 4 anthology series Black Mirror, entitled "Fifteen Million Merits". The episode received positive critical reception.[43]

For two years running Huq has presented the Royal Shakespeare Company's Live from Stratford upon Avon – a web project aimed at showing theatre productions in schools. In July 2012 the project web-streamed a performance of I Cinna (The Poet). In November 2013 a recording of the Globe Theatre production of Richard II was shown in 3,000 schools. In both cases the performance was followed by a question-and-answer session hosted by Huq.

On 14 October 2014, Huq was one of the speakers celebrating Ada Lovelace Day at the Royal Institution.[44]

On 29 June 2016, Huq hosted VOOM 2016 for Virgin Media Business’.[45][46]

Radio

On 15 September 2006, Huq became one of the presenters of The Tube with Tony Wilson, Alex James and Emily Rose on Channel 4 Radio[47] working with production company UKoneFM. The first edition was broadcast on 3 November 2006.[48] Huq made her debut as a news presenter on the BBC Asian Network in September 2007,[49] in a series of documentaries on a radio current affairs programme called the Asian Network Report.[3] In 2013, she took part in the Radio 4 series Great Lives, nominating Ada Lovelace.[50]

Olympic Torch incident

On 6 April 2008, Huq participated in the London leg of the 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay on its journey to Beijing, China, as one of eighty torch carriers. When in Ladbroke Grove a protester tried to grab the torch from her whilst Huq was about to give the torch to the next runner. Huq was not hurt in the incident. Police wrestled the protester to the ground and arrested him.[51] She, however, voiced concern over the Chinese torch guards, saying "They were very robotic, very full on, and actually I noticed them having skirmishes with our own police and the Olympic authorities before our leg of the relay".[52]

On BBC News later that day she defended her decision to carry the torch, saying she "did the procession because I believe in the Olympic values, the ideals, I think sport on a global scale is a brilliant thing, it transcends culture, race, money," despite what she called China's "terrible track record when it comes to human rights."[53]

Charity works

Huq is currently a celebrity ambassador for the British Red Cross,[54] for which she recorded the video "If I had HIV, would you kiss me?" as part of a campaign against stigmatisation of people living with HIV.[55]

In 2005, Huq took part in BBC One show Comic Relief Does Fame Academy. She was the third contestant to be voted off, after her rendition of Kim Wilde's Kids in America.[56][57] She also travelled to Uganda and met orphan children, on behalf of Comic Relief.

In 2008 Huq travelled to Afghanistan with the charity Afghanaid to film a BBC Lifelines appeal, which was aired on 21 September.[58] Huq was an ambassador for Gold Challenge, part of the official mass participation legacy programme for the London 2012 Olympic Games.[59][60]

Personal life

Huq supported the Labour Party at the 2010 General Election.[61] Her sister, Rupa Huq, was elected as the Labour MP for Ealing Central and Acton at the 2015 general election.

On 26 July 2010, Huq married satirist Charlie Brooker at the Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas after a nine-month relationship.[62][63] They have two children: Covey, born 23 March 2012,[62] and Huxley, born 28 February 2014.[64][65]

Filmography

YearTitleRole
1991TVFM Presenter
1992Blockbusters Contestant
2point4 ChildrenExtra
1993Eat Your WordsMain presenter alongside Simon Parkin
1997The MagPresenter for Channel 5's youth show
Milkshake!Main presenter alongside Lucy Alexander
1997–2008Blue PeterMain presenter alongside various co-presenters
2002–2004UK Top 40Main presenter alongside Adrian Dickson
2005Comic Relief Does Fame AcademyContestant (out third)
2006The TubeMain presenter alongside Tony Wilson, Alex James and Emily Rose
2007The Sarah Jane AdventuresCameo appearance
M.I.HighMinor character
8 out of 10 CatsPanellist
New York Fashion WeekMain presenter for GMTV coverage
London TalkingMain presenter alongside Vanessa Feltz and Nick Ferrari
Robin HoodA servant called Konnie
2008Al Murray's Happy HourCelebrity guest
Your NewsMain presenter alongside Laura Jones, Manish Bhasin and Adam Parsons
The Weakest LinkContestant on Blue Peter special
UK School GamesMain presenter alongside Nigel Clarke
When Beauty Goes WrongMain presenter
Charlie Brooker's ScreenwipePresenter of the mock documentary in Episode 4 'Konnie's Great British Wee'
Are You Smarter Than A 10 Year Old?Contestant
2008–2009Zoo DaysPresenter of the Colchester edition of the show
2009Noel's HQReporter
Guinness World Records SmashedMain presenter alongside Steve Jones
Hannah-OkeMain presenter alongside Duncan James
The Wright StuffPanellist for the Week
The Daily PoliticsGuest reporter
I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here! NOW!Panellist
Jack Osbourne: Adrenaline JunkieCelebrity participant
2010The Archive Hour: Open SesameGuest reporter
The Xtra FactorMain presenter from Series 7
Mind Your LanguageMain presenter
71 Degrees NorthContestant Series 1
This WeekGuest reporter
Shocked BritainMain presenter
2011Lonely PlanetReporter
Would I Lie to You?Guest panellist
Under PressureHerself
2012The Real Hustle: Celebrity ChancersCelebrity Hustler
Pointless CelebritiesContestant paired with Angellica Bell
BlockbustersContestant, paired with Keith Duffy in second game
This WeekGuest reporter
2013DaybreakGuest reporter
A Touch of Cloth Series IIAs Herself
Great LivesEpisode 31: Ada Lovelace
2015Sky News SunriseGuest
King of the NerdsMain Presenter
This MorningGuest
Sunday BrunchGuest
WeekendGuest
2016The One ShowPresenter
The Penguin PodcastPodcast interview with James Oswald[66]
2017The Penguin PodcastPodcast interviews with Tom Fletcher,[67] Harriet Harman,[68] Jo Nesbo [69] and Carlo Rovelli [70]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Konnie Huq: my family wanted me to marry a Muslim". The Daily Telegraph. 10 October 2010. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  2. 1 2 Caesar, Ed "Konnie Huq is feeling the heat but still ready to carry the Olympic flame", The Times, 6 April 2008
  3. 1 2 "My Secret Life: Konnie Huq, TV Presenter, age 32". The Independent. 12 July 2008.
  4. ↑ My Time at Cambridge Archived 19 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ↑ https://westlondonbusiness.arlo.co/presenters/11633-konnie-huq>
  6. ↑ "Passed/Failed: An education in the life of Konnie Huq, former Blue Peter presenter – Interview by Jonathan Sale". The Independent. 24 April 2008. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  7. ↑ "I'll have a 'C' for comeback please, Bob". The Independent. 10 November 2011. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  8. ↑ "Konnie Huq on TV.com". TV.com. 15 September 1992. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  9. ↑ unknown (8 November 1999). "Eat Your Words (1)". UK Game Shows. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
  10. ↑ Daily Express 1 (15 August 2010). "expressyourself – Channel Five's Konnie Huq is Destined for the Top". Daily Express. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  11. ↑ Colin Grimshaw (8 November 1999). "Extra time runs out for Total Sport". Campaign. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  12. 1 2 "Konnie Huq – Clients". ROAR Global. 1 December 1997. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  13. ↑ "Host Huq bows out of Blue Peter". BBC News. 22 January 2008.
  14. ↑ "Musafir Movie Profile". 2004. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  15. ↑ "Konnie Huq". therightaddress.co.uk. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  16. ↑ "Blue Peter launches Welcome Home Appeal with British Red Cross". BBC Press Office. 8 November 2004. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  17. ↑ "Most badges pinned to one person in one minute". Guinness World Records. 22 January 2008. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  18. ↑ Blue Peter editor leaves job BBC News, 16 May 2007
  19. ↑ "Host Huq bows out of Blue Peter". BBC News. 22 January 2008. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  20. ↑ "Blue Peter's Konnie Huq to leave". BBC News. 31 May 2007. Retrieved 31 May 2007.
  21. ↑ Josh Darvill (7 June 2010). "Konnie Huq announced as new Xtra Factor presenter". TellyMix. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
  22. ↑ "Bell rings in as face of CBBC". BBC News. 11 February 2002. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  23. ↑ "Top of the Pops – Friday 23 May 2003". BBC Press Office. 23 May 2003. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  24. 1 2 3 "Judges and Hosts". ITV. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  25. ↑ "8 out of 10 cats – Episode 5.2". British Comedy Guide. Channel 4. 22 June 2007. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  26. ↑ "BBC 2 – Ready Steady Cook, Series 17, Episode 45". BBC. 30 December 2007. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  27. ↑ "Talking Shop: Konnie Huq". BBC News. 22 January 2008. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  28. ↑ "Former Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq goes green". Daily Record. Scotland. 11 November 2008. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  29. ↑ "Zoo Days – Channel Five". Zoo Days. Five. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  30. ↑ "Red Bull Air Race – Channel 4". Red Bull Air Race. Channel 4. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  31. ↑ "Screenwipe, episode 4, series 5 – British Comedy Guide". The British Comedy Guide. 9 December 2008. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  32. ↑ "BBC This Week Guide". BBC. 18 December 2008. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  33. ↑ "Konnie Huq". womenspeakers.co.uk. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  34. ↑ "M.I.High (TV series 2007) The Big Freeze". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  35. ↑ "BFI – FM [ITV2, 2009]: GOLDEN LADY". BFI. 18 March 2009. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  36. ↑ "About the show – Guinness World Records Smashed". SKY. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  37. ↑ "Disney Channel Reveals Celebrity Panel for its Brand New Karaoke Game Show – HANNAH-OKE". primarytimes.net. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  38. ↑ "ANGEL AWARDS – Monaco International Film Festival". Monacofilmfest.com. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  39. ↑ "2009 Angel Film Awards – Gallery". Angelfilmawards.com. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  40. ↑ "Press Releases". Film London. 20 March 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  41. ↑ Andrews, Marc (29 May 2014). "Konnie Huq films a superhero-themed romance between two toddlers". Dailymail.co.uk. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  42. ↑ "News: Konnie Huq To Become An MC For ITV2 Show!". brit-asian.com. 27 January 2011. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  43. ↑ "Black Mirror – 15 Million Merits". Channel 4. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  44. ↑ "Ada Lovelace Day – Live!". Royal Institution. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  45. ↑ "Homepage - Virgin Media Business Voom 2016".
  46. ↑ VirginMediaBusiness (29 June 2016). "The Live Finale - VOOM 2016" – via YouTube.
  47. ↑ "Presenters". The Tube. Channel 4. Retrieved 23 April 2007.
  48. ↑ The Tube is back on Channel 4 Radio Skiddle.com, 31 October 2006
  49. ↑ Asians in Media article on new Asian Network Report Asians in Media, 1 September 2006
  50. ↑ "BBC Radio 4 – Great Lives, Series 31, Konnie Huq on Ada Lovelace". BBC. 17 September 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  51. ↑ Booth, Jenny (6 April 2008). "Arrests and scuffles as Olympic torch crosses London". The Times. Retrieved 6 April 2008.
  52. ↑ "Olympic torch guards called "thugs"". The International Herald Tribune. 15 April 2008. Retrieved 15 April 2008.
  53. ↑ "Clashes along Olympic torch route". BBC News. 6 April 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2008.
  54. ↑ Profile British Red Cross
  55. ↑ "Video: If I had HIV, would you kiss me?". YouTube. 19 November 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
  56. ↑ "6m see Comic Relief Fame Academy skit". The Guardian. 4 March 2005. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  57. ↑ "Blue Peter's Huq leaves Academy". BBC News. 4 March 2005. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  58. ↑ Afghanaid Appeal – Lifeline – BBC YouTube
  59. ↑ "Gold Challenge launches your chance to be part of London 2012's sporting legacy". sportengland.org. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  60. ↑ "The Gold Challenge". Down's Syndrome Scotland. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  61. ↑ "Konnie Huq on why she's voting Labour". YouTube. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  62. 1 2 "Konnie Huq gives birth to baby Covey Brooker Huq". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  63. ↑ "Marriage License". County of Clark, Nevada. 26 July 2010. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  64. ↑ "Exclusive: Konnie Huq and Charlie Brooker welcome their new baby, a second son Huxley, into the world". Daily Mail. 1 March 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  65. ↑ "Baby joy for Konnie Huq and Charlie Brooker as they welcome second son". Express. 1 March 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  66. ↑ acast (14 December 2016). "James Oswald with Konnie Huq - The Penguin Podcast on acast".
  67. ↑ acast. "Tom Fletcher with Konnie Huq - The Penguin Podcast on acast".
  68. ↑ acast. "Harriet Harman with Konnie Huq - The Penguin Podcast on acast".
  69. ↑ acast. "Jo Nesbo with Konnie Huq - The Penguin Podcast on acast".
  70. ↑ acast. "Carlo Rovelli with Konnie Huq - The Penguin Podcast on acast".
  • Konnie Huq on IMDb
  • "Konnie Huq collected news and commentary". The Guardian. Edit this at Wikidata
  • Konnie Huq supports Dance for life British Red Cross
  • Konnie Huq Guinness World Records Smashed Interview Sky 1
Preceded by
Romana D'Annunzio		 Blue Peter Presenter No. 26
1997–2008		 Succeeded by
Helen Skelton
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